Hinge with non-rising pin



Ocf- 13, 1954 .1, s. PARSONS HINGE: WITH NoN-RISING PIN Filed Aug. s1, 1961 FIG 3 FIG 4 f M Bh/ ATTORNEYS Zay@ United States Patent Otice 3,152,355 Patented Get. 13, 1:964-

sans

The present invention relates to hinges comprised of a pair of leaves having interftting knuckles with a pin extending therethrough to provide a pivotal connection therebetween and, more particularly, to such a hinge wherein the hinge pin is retained against undesired movement during normal operation.

t is an object of the present invention to provide a hinge assembly incorporating novel and durable means for retaining the hinge pin against undesired movement thereof and capable of accommodating variations in diameter of the hinge pin.

Another object is t0 provide a hinge assembly incorporating relatively inexpensive and highly efective pin retaining means which is readily assembled and in which the pin may be readily disengaged when so desired.

lt is also an object to provide a novel hinge assembly having such pin retaining means in combination with a relatively narrow diameter barrel portion and hinge pin and wherein the pin is retained against unintentional movenient both axially and rotationally.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application which will be indicated in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a fragmentary front elevational view of an opened hinge embodying the invention and having the barrel in section to reveal internal construction;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the pin retaining sleeve;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view ofthe sleeve; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the lower barrel showing the hinge pin about to be seated in the sleeve,

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a hinge embodying the invention is illustrated as comprised of the fragmentarily illustrated sheet metal leaves 2, 4 having integrally formed intertitting rolled knuckles 6, 8, l@ which are of substantial axial length. Extending through the several knuckles 6, 8, l0 are coaxial and aligned bores l2, 14, lo in which is disposed the elongate shank ld of the hinge pin 20 which provides a pivotal connection between the leaves, and the shank 1S is provided with a chamfered end portion 19 for guiding the pin through the hinge elements. In assembly, the head 22 of the hinge pin 20 is tted tightly against the outer end of the knuckle 6.

The relatively narrow diameter shank i8 of the hinge pin 2l) is radially spaced and non-rotatably supported within the bores l2, 16 of the knuckles 6, i@ of the leaf 4 by the tubular sleeves 24, 26, The outer diameter of the sleeves 24, 26 is dimensioned to form a tight lit with the inner surface of the knuckles 6, l@ so as to require orce-iitting and the inner diameter is dimensioned to provide a sliding tit with the shank iS which will result in some measure of irictional engagement therebetween. The sleeves 24, 26 have radial iianges 28, 30 at one end which seat in shallow counterbores at the inner ends of the knuckles 6, itl' and the metal of the knuckles is then staked so as to deform some of the metal over the flanges 23, 3i? and lock the sleeves 2d, 26 firmly therein.

The lower sleeve 2o has a lower end portion 32 of reduced outer diameter providing a spacing between it and the inner surface of the knuckle l0. A pair of diametrically spaced, axial slots 34 in the end portion 32 deine a pair of spring lingers 36 therebetween. As best seen in FGS. 2-4, the end portion 32 is crimped without changing the radius of curvature so that the lingers 36 normally incline inwardly to a distance between their free ends smaller than the outer diameter of the pin shank 1S. The free ends of the spring lingers 36 are bent inwardly to the position shown in FIG. 3, as for example by placing the sleeve 25 in a punch press and applying pressure at the midpoints ot the fingers 36 along a line perpendicular to a line through slots 34 so that the free ends of the arcuate spring fingers 36 bear upon the surface of the shank 1S at about their midpoints so that the pin is rmly engaged thereby and prevented from rising inadvertently and also from rotating therein. With this engagement between the midpoints of the free ends of the lingers 36 and the pin shank 1S, the holding power of the spring iingers of the pin is stabilized at the desired level by the insertion and withdrawal of the pin during the manufacture of the hinge with the result that repeated insertions and withdrawals of the pin during use do not cause a signicantvariation in the holding power of the lingers.

Although more than two axial slots may be utilized to provide a greater number of spring lingers, the illustrated embodiment with two slots providing a bifurcated end portion has proven most satisfactory in that a suitable degree of resiliency is provided commensurate with a high degree of holding power. Utilization of a greater number of slots will increase the resiliency but will materially reduce the holding power and also decrease the ease of fabrication.

It will be noted that the ends of the spring lingers 36 bear upon a shank surface of uniform diameter so that the holding power is thus provided by the resilient connection permitting ready disengagement of the hinge pin when so desired. Although the surface of the pin shank il?) may be roughened to effect some increase in holding power, the use of pins with relatively smooth surface produced in accordance with conventional fabrication and iinishing techniques has proven highly satisfactory.

Force-iitted into the bottom end or the lower knuckle lil is a hinge tip 33 having an aperture 4d extending axially therethrough to permit insertion of a nail or tool for unseating the hinge pin from the spring ngers and driving the hinge pin outwardly of the barrel to effect disengagement.

ln accordance with the preferred aspect of the invention, the illustrated hinge employs the novel pin support and bearing assembly which forms the subject of my copending application Serial No. 94,872, tiled March l0, 1961. in this embodiment, the elongate and relatively narrow diameter pin shank 18 is seated in ball-bearing assemblies t2 which function as combined thrust and radial bearings for the hinge and have portions extending radially inwardly ofthe knuckle bores.

Each of the ball bearing assemblies is comprised of a movable raceway 44 and a stationary raceway 46 having a portion 43 extending axially within the bore 14 of the knuckle 8 and which is press-litted or otherwise lixed therein. The raceways d4, 46 move relative to each other upon the -balls Sd, and the bore through the stationary raceway d6 is of larger diameter than that of the movable raceway 44 so that a spacing exists between the axially extending portion `of the inner bearing case 52 which, inrcooperation with the outer bearing case 54, maintains the bearing assembly as a unit and provides a dirt seal therefor while simultaneously retaining grease or lubricant -between the raceways. The pin shank i8 and bearing assemblies 42 are so dimensioned that the pin forms a sliding lit with the inner case 52 and thereby with the movable raceway @-4, and the stationary raceway 46 is movable relative to the pin and the remainder ofthe bearing assembly without binding.

As shown, there is a substantial axial spacing between the axially extending portions 48 of the ball-bearing assemblies, and in this axial spacing is litted an annular sleeve 56 Ithrough which the pin lshank 18 freely extends. Although two or more annular sleeves may be employed in this axial spacing depending upon the length, it has been found that Ia single sleeve intermediate the bearing assem-V blies provides a highly eliective assembly. ri`he internal aperture of the annular sleeve 56 is of slightly large-r diameter than the shank i8 of the hinge pin so as not to bear upon the pin during relative rotation of the leaves during normal operation of the hinge but to provide radial support for the pin intermediate the ball-bearing assemblies 42 and prevent excessive liexure of the pin under shock or stress loads such as would permanently deform it. The sleeve 56 is preferably fabricated from a material having .a relatively low coeliicient of friction such as nylon, Delrin or linear polyethylene in order to provide a satisfactory non-wearing surface when called into play.

Although the bore 16 of the. lower. knuckle il) may be enlarged with respect to the bores 12, 14 in the other knuckles 6, S to accommodate the radial thickness thereof for utilization in other types ofV leaf hinge assemblies, the present invention has been found particularly advantageous in sheet metal hinges with rolled knuckles providing bores of uniform diameter and, accordingly, the illustrated bearing `and pin support assembly which permits highly eective and long-lasting utilizaton of a narrow diameter pin.

It has been found that the pin holding means of the present invention is both relatively economical and rugged and will satisfactorily engage pins varying to a substantial degree from the intended diameter -which are Voc-` casionally inadvertently `substituted during assembly Veither at installation or at -other times. To ensure proper operation, the spring lingers 36 are crimped so that they taper to a width at their ee ends substantially less than the intended pin diameter, generally ranging from about ten percent less for a relatively thin pin to about live percent less for a relatively thick pin. The spring lingers 36 of the sleeve are not heat-treated subsequent to the crimping operation in order to avoid creating an excessive spring action in the spring fingers and thus accommodate major expansion and resizing as the result of the use of a pin of larger than intended diameter. As the pin seats in the end portion 32, the spacing Vbetween the spring lingers 36 becomes resized to some extent, and the coldworking of the metal occurring during the expansion tends to increase the resiliency of the spring fingers and thereby the holding power. Consequently, although the initial insertion of the pin will resize the spring lingers to some extent, a substantial portion of the holding power will be retained during the repeated insertions and withdrawals of the pin due to the natural springback of the metal. e

The crimping of the spring lingers without altering the radius of curvature ensures that the free ends of the spring lingers 36 will bear upon the pin at their midpoints rather than at the side regions adjacent the slots, thereby materially reducing the strain on the lingers during insertion of the pin and, accordingly, reducing permanent deformation of the spring fingers eliected thereby.

L'i assembling the hinge, the pin shank 18 is inserted into the bore 12 of the upper knuckle 6 and guided by the sleeve 24 through the upper bearing assembly 42. The pin shank 18 then passes through the annular sleeve 56 which cooperates with the upper sleeve 24 to guide the pin shank through the lower bearing assembly 42 and thence into the lower sleeve 26. As the pin shank 1S moves down into the lower end portion 32, it spreads the inwardly inclined spring lingers 36 until it passes therethrough, and the pin 2G linally seats in the barrel with its head 2l? lirmly against the outer end of the upper knuckle 6.

In operation of the hinge, the pin is frictionally engaged in the sleeves 24, 26 and secured by the spring lingers 36 so that there is no tendency for the pin to turn relative.

to the knuckles 6, it? of the leaf 4 or the movable raceway t4 and inner bearing case 52 so that there is no frictional wear with these elements. The stationary raceway 45, which is press-fitted into the knuckle S, moves with the leaf 2 and its elective contact with the jamb leaf d is solely through the balls 50.` Thus, in this assembly no frictional wear occurs during normal operation of the hinge and, although the narrow diameter pin is relatively liexible, the eliect of the bending forces upon the pin by reason of its pivotal connection at the bearing assemblies, is minimized by the annular sleeve 56 which provides Y radial support therefor between the bearing assemblies and prevents excessive deformation of the pin during shock or stress loading of the hinge.

Disassembly of the hinge leaves can be readily elected merely by inserting a nail or other tool into the aperture of the hinge tip and applying sulicient force to dislodge the pin from the spring lingers and then drawing the pin outwardly of the hinge barrel. The pin will be guided by the several sleeves through the ball-bearing assemblies so as to avoid damage thereto.

By the present invention, a relatively economical and easily assembled and disassembled hinge is provided which retains the hinge pin against inadvertent axial and rotative movement. The pin retaining means will accommodate a fairly substantial variation in hinge pin diameter while providing a high degree of holding power which it will continue to exert even after repeated-disassembling. This hinge pin retainer is particularly advantageous in combination with the pin support and bearing assembly illustrated in the drawings wherein it ensures substantial immobility of the pin during normal operation so as to eliminate frictional wear of the elements for a highly elicective and long-lasting hinge assembly.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modilications and adaptations of the structure above described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, Vthe scope of which is delined in the appended claim.

l claim:

In a hinge having a pair of leaves provided with interfitting knuckles having coaxial bores extending therethrough, the combination therewith of a nonrising pin assembly comprising a sleeve positioned in the lowermost knuckle and secured therein against longitudinal and rotative movement relative thereto, said sleeve having a lower end portion spaced inwardly from the inner surface or" the lowermost knuckle to provide an annular clearance therewith, said end portion having a pair of axially extending slots therein delining resilient lingers therebetween, said lingers being normally inclined radially inwardly to provide an internal aperture between the free ends thereof, a removable hinge pin extending through said knuckles and beyond the lower end of said sleeve-and being of a diameter greater than the distance between the free ends or" said lingers, the free ends of the fingers having a greater radius of curvature than the end of said hinge pin so as to engage the same along substantially opposed lines of Contact to secure the pin against axial and rotative movement relative to the lowermost knuckle of the hinge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Teich June 8, 1909 Isernan Sept. 27, 1927 Viberg May 1, 1934 Lyons May 7, 1935 Ferris Aug. 6, 1935 

